Reggaeton goes global in the first trailer for Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World. The four-part docuseries, premiering Oct. 3 on Peacock, traces the genre back to its cultural origins. The series puts a spotlight on the artists who played a crucial role in establishing reggaeton, while also championing the new wave of musicians working to ensure it leaves a mark on modern music history.
Helmed by executive producer Daddy Yankee, Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World responds to dissenters who once claimed that the genre would die out shortly after it first took off. It takes just one minute of footage pulled from the series to prove how wrong they were. There are scenes of Bad Bunny performing to sold-out crowds juxtaposed with archival footage from early leaders in the space.
There’s also additional commentary from Karol G, another leader in the current wave of reggaeton. “Our music is getting huge around the world,” the Colombian musician shares in the clip. The genre is framed in the trailer as being the product of hustle and ambition from “kids without opportunities,” who had to make a little go a long way. “Nobody thought that we were gonna make it,” Daddy Yankee says. “And then we ended up being everyone’s favorite act.”
Two years ago, Daddy Yankee embarked on his final tour as he prepared to release his final album and retire. “It was all of these influences, like if you put dancehall, reggae, reggae en español, rap, house music, salsa, bachata, and vallenato in a blender,” the music legend told Rolling Stone in 2022, describing the origins of reggaeton. The genre didn’t even have a name when he first starting shaping what would come to be part of its defining legacy.
“It was always my goal to carry the banner and lead, and then have other people keep going,” he added. “Everything that’s happening with Bad Bunny, incredible. What’s happening with Karol G, incredible, with Sech, with Rauw Alejandro, with Myke Towers. There’s the new kids and also the new veterans, like Balvin, Maluma, Ozuna, Anuel AA. They’ve done a remarkable job.”
Reggaeton: The Sound That Conquered the World also features appearances from Feid, Ivy Queen, J Balvin, Myke Towers, Rauw Alejandro, Shaggy, Vico C, and more. The series was directed by Omar Acosta and produced by Mercury Studios, Saboteur Media, and El Cartel.